Device for opening box-car doors



Oct. 28'. 1,513,512

' F. H. LAWRENCE DEVICE FOR OPENING BOX CAR DODRS Filed Oct. 29. 1923 o v I v 7 /NVEHTOR. Fl 5 E FRHNKH. LHWRENCE,

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Patented Oct. 28, 1924 FRANK H. LAWRE1\TCE,'OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

DEVICE FOR OPENING BOIFCAE DOORS.

Application filed October 29, 1923. Seriall No. 671,597.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK H. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in th county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Box-Car Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for operating box-car doors, including opening, closing, locking and sealing; and the ob jects of my invention are, first, to preclude the necessity of using crow-bars and the like in forcing a door in either direction; second, to have a lever pivoted to the car above the door which in conjunction with a notched rail secured transversely of the door will form a means by which the door may be forced open or closed; third, to provide a means secured to the lever adjacent the lower end thereof, that in co operation with a means secured to the rear edge of the door, will lock and seal the door when closed.

I attain these objects by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l, is a plan;

Fig. 2, is a front elevation;

Fig. 3, is a rear elevation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents an ordinary box-car door mounted on a track 2 by means of rollers 3 as is the custom. Above the door, as in this instance a plate 4 is secured to the car roof in approximate vertical alignment with the rear edge of a door when closed, a bracket 5 integral with said plate and extending upward a distance, provides a secure anchorage for a stud-bolt 6 which projects forward. Upon said stud-bolt and clepending therefrom a lever 7 extends downward to a point slightly below the bottom of the door, the lower end of the lever is offset outward to provide hand room when grasping it to operate the door when standing upon the ground, and a loop handle 8 is disposed intermediate the length of the lever for grasping when operating the door from a freight loading platform. Approximately one third the length of the door, from the top downward, a band 9 preferably of angle iron is located horizontally from the front edge to a distance beyond the rear edge of same and secured to both edges, said band is disposed a distance in front of the door with one angle on the top and the other in front, the upper surface facing the door is provided with notches 10 into any one of which the lever 7 may be seated as hereinafter explained. A strip of metal 11 preferably unequal-leg angle iron, is located and secured to the front of the door back of the lever 7 and below the handle 8. A metal band 12 is secured to both edges of the door and passes in front of the lever 7 a distance suflicient to allow the lever to be oscillated upon the stud-bolt 6 and seated in the notches 10 as required to force the door in either direction. A locking device comprising a plate of sheet metal 13 is secured to the right side lower portion of the door and extends backward a distance, said plate is provided with a flange 14 and ears 15, the flange 14 is secured to the rear edge of the door by screws 16, and the ears 15 provide means for pivotally attaching a swinging hasp 17 by a rod 18, said hasp is provided with top and bottom flanges 19 and an intermediate lug 20, the lug and lower flange is drilled in vertical alignment to receive a seal bolt 21 and through a hole adjacent the lower end of which a seal band and seal 22 may be attached. A plate 23 carrying a flat arm 24 which is drilled to allow the seal bolt 21 to pass through is secured to the lever 7 in such a position that the arm 24 will pass through an aperture in the hasp, and the hole in the arm will be in vertical alignment with the holes in the lug 20 and lower flange 19 of the hasp, when the door is closed and the hasp swung outward as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

To operate my device when the door is closed.

Remove the seal bolt 21 and swing the hasp 17 parallel with or into alignment with the door, which will release thev lever 7, push the lever inward towards the door and to the left until it can be seated in one of the notches 10, then force the lower end of the lever to the right which will carry the door with it and repeat. Reverse th operation to close the door.

By the use of my device the most stubborn car door may be moved in either direction without mutilating the door or side of the ear with crow-bars, as is the common practice, also much time may he saved.

Having thus described my invention, t elaiin:

In a device of the kind described, a pivot holt secured to a box-ear above the door, a Fever pivoted on said bolt and depending therefrom, said iever extending a distance below th door, a notched. bar secured from edge to edge 01". the door and a distance in front of the and outside of the i er aforesaid, W eh is adapted to be seated in of me notches in the bar, 2 guide hand ietween the lever and door,

nesses.

FRANK H. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses JOHN L, BOURKE, FRANCES FRENCH. 

